Minnesota Wild have better skaters, and now a system that fits them

When the Wild acquired wing Zach Parise, right, and defenseman Ryan Suter -- as well as center Jason Pominville -- they outgrew an offensive system that was tailored to the grinders Mike Yeo inherited in 2012. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Minnesota right wing Jason Pominville celebrates with defenseman Ryan Suter, left, after scoring against the Columbus Blue Jackets during an April 13 game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)

Mike Yeo and his coaching staff, self-proclaimed students of the game, had a lot of time this summer to watch video of the Wild's shortened season.

Yes, they said, they saw some good things from a team that reached the NHL playoffs for the first time in five years. But they also saw something they didn't like:

An offense that ultimately wasn't good enough.

A big reason for that, they decided, was that the system in place didn't suit the squad, especially after the late addition of smooth skater Jason Pominville. They needed something new.

So Yeo spent time with his staff the past few months creating a new system to take advantage of the Wild's skill set.

When Yeo came to the Wild, as he put it, "we had more of a grinders-type team." Since then, they've added skilled players such as Pominville, Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, and youngsters Charlie Coyle and Jason Zucker have emerged.

Players were faster and more dynamic. And Yeo needed a system built for that.

So as training camp kicks off Thursday with the first official practice at Ridder Arena, Wild coaches will introduce a new system -- with "tweaks," as Yeo put it -- that places more of an emphasis on puck possession and rushes through the neutral zone.

"That's a big area where we can improve and grow as a team," Yeo said. "We have to become a better team off the rush, and we think the adjustments we've brought in are going to give us a better chance to attack off the rush and create off the rush.

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That means the team will be less inclined to dump the puck deep, especially for the lines with the skill and speed to skate into the offensive zone.

It's a system built specifically for the Wild's current roster, Yeo said.

He spent time this summer watching video of other NHL teams, including of the organization he used to work for -- the Pittsburgh Penguins, another highly skilled team. He took pieces of those systems to create the one the Wild will use. But the key was keeping it molded around the Wild's roster.

"It's important that you model it toward your own group," Yeo said. "We have to create an identity and a game plan that's unique to us. And with that means you might take a piece from one team and a piece from another and maybe a couple pieces from one team, but pretty much if you want to be successful then it has to be geared specifically toward your group."

In addition to the added skill, the Wild have added offensive playmakers at the blue line since Yeo's arrival in 2011.

As he watched video this summer, he noticed the defensemen were getting up the ice quickly and in position to make plays. But the previous system kept the defensemen from being as involved as Yeo felt they could have been.

"Because of that, (the skill) is a non-factor," Yeo said. "So I think it's going to help us take that first step and turn it into something bigger now."

After the 2011-12 season, Yeo spent much of his offseason brainstorming ways to improve the defense, which he said paid off last season. This summer, he focused on the offense.

"It's not about playing like anybody else," Yeo said. "It's about playing our game -- and doing it better than anybody else."